When you think of summer time, what is the first word that pops into your mind? For me, it’s WATER. While there is one kind of water that I don’t enjoy being in – ocean salt water – I have spent many hours, days and probably even months in lakes and pools.

I think I was definitely influenced by my mother, Doris, who was a strong swimmer throughout her life. My dad, who never learned to swim, but eventually would swim with a life jacket on, wasn’t ever quite so fond of it.

Mom started me out with baby steps for the baby:

c1953

I actually don’t recognize this yard. It’s definitely not our house in Passaic, but could be a corner of Grandmother’s yard in Needham Heights, Massachusetts as I have a few other pictures taken that summer while we visited.

I did have a small wading pool in Passaic and Mom invited over some of her friends (with their kids, who were some of my childhood friends) for a swim party.

Linda, on the slide

That’s me with Bruce, Greg and maybe Adrienne in the swing. Mom kept that pool for quite a few years:

Celeste, on what looks like the same slide, c1960

I have no idea when I had my first membership in the YWCA, but it was probably started when I was five or six years old.

I continued with lessons at the Passaic Y until we moved to Wayne in December 1963. This was my last membership card, but I had taken years of swimming lessons there.

By 1954, my grandparents owned their cottage on Little Sebago Lake, which led to many more hours of water fun, at first with a life jacket:

Grandmother and Linda

I was never the fastest swimmer, but I had endurance. See the white boat docked in the distance on the top left?

Linda with Candy, c1965

My friends’ cottage was just past that and we used to swim there just for fun.

When we moved to Wayne, my parents actually decided to add a built-in pool in our yard.

Wayne Home in Early 1964

I am amazed, though, because I don’t have a single photo of our backyard or of anyone in the pool!

I still enjoy the water, although I don’t swim much these days. We do have a pool here in Tucson and it comes in very handy for a quick dip during the hot summers. I mostly putter around in it to cool off!

A Tucson Necessity!

Don’t forget to share your own summer memories. Some day, our stories will be the ancestors’ stories!

Nowadays, a relatively new activity that Dave and I both enjoy is cruising. I love being on the ship enjoying the water views, but I still don’t like salt water on me!